Friday Sermon

9 February 2024

Muhammad^sa: The Great Exemplar

After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa stated:

The slogans raised by Abu Sufyan during the Battle of Uhud were being mentioned [in the previous sermon]. He glorified his idols, upon which the Holy Prophet^sa expressed the honour he had for Allah the Almighty. I mentioned how the Holy Prophet^sa expressed this honour and that, despite the circumstances, he instructed for slogans glorifying Allah the Almighty to be raised. I will present further references in this regard.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra states:

“It is recorded in the ahadith [sayings of the Holy Prophet^sa] that during the Battle of Uhud, when Abu Sufyan loudly proclaimed:

لَنَا عُزّٰي وَلَا عُزّٰي لَکُمْ

“‘Uzza is our helper, but you have no idol to help you,’ at that time the Holy Prophet^sa instructed the Muslims to say:

لَنَا مَوْلٰي وَلَا مَوْلٰي لَکُمْ

“‘Our Master and Helper is our God, the Self-Subsisting and Self-Sustaining, but you have no Master or Helper.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra says:

“What a remarkable way to practically demonstrate the reality of

اَنتَ مَوليٰ

“[‘Thou art our Master’] that despite being surrounded by swords, they held firm to the belief that only Allah can save us.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 2, p. 660)

On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra stated:

“When the news of the Holy Prophet^sa having been martyred reached the Muslims, they immediately turned back and removed the dead bodies from on top of him. They discovered that the Holy Prophet^sa was still alive and breathing. Subsequently, the first thing they did was to remove the nail of his helmet [from his countenance]. It would not move an inch, but eventually, a Companion removed it with his teeth, which caused two of his teeth to break. Water was sprinkled on the Holy Prophet’s^sa face and he regained consciousness. Most Companions had become dispersed and only a small group of Companions were around him. The Holy Prophet^sa said to them, ‘We should move to the foot of the mountain.’ As such, he led them to the foot of the mountain and slowly, the remaining army started gathering there as well.

“When the disbelievers’ army was departing, Abu Sufyan loudly proclaimed the name of the Holy Prophet^sa and said that they had killed him. The Companions wanted to reply, but the Holy Prophet^sa stopped them and said, ‘This is not the right time. Our men have been dispersed; some have been killed and others are wounded. Only a few of us remain here and everyone is exhausted. The disbelieving army is 3,000 strong and intact. Under such circumstances, it is not wise to respond. If they say that they have killed me, then let it be.’ Thus, the Companions remained silent according to the instructions of the Holy Prophet^sa. When Abu Sufyan did not receive a reply, he said that they had killed Abu Bakr as well. The Holy Prophet^sa stopped them once again from replying and said, ‘Remain silent! If he says this, then so be it.’ Hence, the Companions remained silent upon hearing this as well. When Abu Sufyan did not receive a reply again, he said that they had killed ‘Umar as well. Hazrat ‘Umar^ra was a man of fiery disposition and was about to respond, but the Holy Prophet^sa stopped him from doing so as well. He (Hazrat Umar^ra) later said ‘I was going to reply that you say we have killed ‘Umar, whereas, ‘Umar is still here and ready to break your neck.’ Nevertheless, the Holy Prophet^sa stopped him from replying. When Abu Sufyan did not receive any response, he raised the slogan:

اُعْلُ ھُبَلْ اُعْلُ ھُبَلْ

“‘O Hubl! (the idol Abu Sufyan deemed most high) Exalted be thy name’, May Hubl be glorified.”

“(In other words, saying that Hubal had killed Muhammad^[sa] and his Companions). Since the Holy Prophet^sa had prohibited the Companions from responding, they remained silent on this occasion as well. The Messenger^sa of Allah, said to remain silent and not respond upon the announcement of his own death; he said to remain silent and not respond upon the announcement of the death of Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra; he ordered to remain silent and not respond upon hearing the announcement of the death of Hazrat Umar^ra; he repeatedly said that their army had become dispersed and that there was a risk of the enemy attacking so they should quietly listen to what he was saying.

However, when the words of

اُعْلُ ھُبَلْ اُعْلُ ھُبَلْ

“‘O Hubal! Exalted be thy name!’ fell upon the ears of this pure and holy man, his honour for the Unity of God was impassioned – because now, it was no longer the question of Muhammad^sa, Abu Bakr^ra or Umar^ra, but it was of the honour of Allah the Almighty. The Holy Prophet^sa emphatically said, ‘Why do you not respond?’ The Companions asked, ‘O Messenger^sa of Allah! How shall we respond?’ He said:

“‘Say

اَللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ اَللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ

“‘What is Hubal? Greatness and grandeur belong to Allah the Exalted alone.’”

What an excellent example this was of his passion and zeal for the Unity of God! He forbade his Companions on three occasions from responding, which proves that he was well aware of the associated risks and dangers. He knew that the Muslim army had dispersed, that very few people remained close to him, that the majority of the Companions had been wounded, and that the rest were all exhausted. If the enemy were to learn that a group of the Muslim army had regrouped, perhaps they would have had the courage to attack once more. But in spite of all of these circumstances, when it became a question of the honour of Allah the Almighty, he could no longer bear to remain silent and even if it meant the enemy would find out their whereabouts, attack and kill them, he was unable to remain silent any longer. Hence, he said to his Companions, ‘Why do you remain silent? Why do you not say:

اَللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ اَللّٰہُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ“

(Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 10, pp. 341-342)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra has mentioned all of this in the commentary of Surah al-Kauthar.

For those who wish to, they can read further details from Tafsir-e-Kabir. There are many other points as well that can help one increase in knowledge.

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra states:

“Do any heirs exist today of the Meccan chiefs who sought to kill Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him? Abu Sufyan called out at Uhud saying, ‘Is Muhammad^[sa] still alive among you?’ When there was no response, he declared, ‘We have killed Muhammad^[sa]. ’ He then asked, ‘Is Abu Bakr^[ra] among you?’ As there was no response, he shouted, ‘We have slain Abu Bakr^[ra]!’ He then asked, ‘Is Umar^[ra] among you?’ Once again, there was no response, owing to which he exclaimed, ‘We have killed Umar^[ra] as well’ But today, even if you go to the corners of the earth and call out the name of the leader of the disbelievers, Abu Jahl, who was the comrade of the one making these proclamations, and ask, ‘Is Abu Jahl among you?’ [and also ask if any followers of the Holy Prophet^sa are present], you will find that there are millions of people who will raise their voices upon hearing the name of Muhammad, the Messenger^sa of Allah and the entire world will exclaim that, ‘Yes, Muhammad^sa is present among us, as we are honoured to represent him.’. But upon calling out for Abu Jahl, you will not hear even a single sound in any part of the world. The progeny of Abu Jahl are present in the world even today, but none of them have the courage to claim that they are his descendants. Perhaps even the progeny of Utbah and Shaibah are present today, yet does anyone ever say that they are their descendants?” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 2, pp. 290-291)

Hence, it is only the Holy Prophet’s^sa name, which Allah Almighty exalted and held aloft.

In this regard the Promised Messiah^as states:

“Allah the Almighty has placed thousands of hidden intricacies behind the trials that befall the prophets. The Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa faced many trials as well. One narration records that during the Battle of Uhud, he endured 70 wounds, and the disbelievers rejoiced at seeing the condition of the Muslims. As such, a certain enemy who believed that the Prophet Muhammad^sa along with his most eminent Companions must have been martyred, asked in a loud voice, ‘Is Muhammad amongst you?’ The Holy Prophet^sa instructed the Companions to remain silent and not to answer him. The silence sent a wave of happiness into the questioner’s heart who took it as confirmation that he must have indeed died. Then he similarly called out, asking about Hazrat Abu Bakr^ra. Again, he was met with silence. Then he asked about Hazrat Umar^ra, at which Hazrat Umar^ra was not able to stop himself and exclaimed, ‘You wretched individual, what nonsense are you spewing? They are all alive!’ Enduring such painful moments is also important, for after this the Holy Prophet^sa declared that now the disbelievers will not launch an attack against us.”

Here, the Promised Messiah^as is perhaps referring to the Battle of the Ditch, as it took place after Uhud. This reference is from Malfuzat, so it could be that the one taking notes forgot to write this point. It was after the Battle of the Ditch that the Holy Prophet^sa said ‘From here on now, the disbelievers will not attack us; instead, we will be victorious.’ [The Promised Messiah^as continues], What a painful moment it was for the Holy Prophet^sa when he left his hometown of Mecca.” (Malfuzat [2022], Vol. 9, pp. 266-267)

But now, God had changed their circumstances.

The incident of Hazrat Hanzalah’s^ra martyrdom has also been recorded. We find mention of another Companion’s courageous loyalty and total willingness to sacrifice himself out of love for Holy Prophet^sa during this battle. This is the Companion whose wife relates, “When my found out that the Messenger^sa of Allah had left for battle, despite the fact that the ablution was incumbent on him owing to conjugal relations, he left the house to join the Holy Prophet^sa in such a rush that he did not even consider the ablution necessary at that moment, and made way for the battle with sword in hand.”

On one occasion, during the battle, he came face-to-face with the chief of disbelievers of that time, Abu Sufyan, who was on his horse. Hazrat Hanzalah^ra struck Abu Sufyan’s horse, injuring it. As a result, Abu Sufyan fell from his horse and began screaming as soon as he hit the ground. No sooner had Hazrat Hanzalah raised his sword, intending to finish off Abu Sufyan, that Shaddad bin Aus (according to one narration his name was Shaddad bin Aswad), caught sight of him. In any case, when Shaddad saw Hanzalah raise his sword to kill Abu Sufyan, he swung his sword at Hanzalah, martyring him. Upon the martyrdom of Hanzalah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad^sa stated that the angels are bathing your Companion, i.e. Hanzalah.

One version adds that the Holy Prophet^sa said, “I am watching the angels washing Hanzalah between the heavens and the earth using dishes of silver filled with pristine and pure water.” Hazrat Hanzalah’s^ra wife’s name was Jamilah. She was the daughter of the chief of hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul, and the sister of Hazrat Abdullah^ra bin Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul.

Hazrat Jamilah^ra mentioned that Hazrat Hanzalah^ra had hurried into battle in a state where ablution was incumbent upon him owing to conjugal relations. When the Holy Prophet^sa heard her say this, he explained that the angels were themselves arranging his ablution. It was Hazrat Hanzalah’s first night of his marriage with Hazrat Jamilah^ra, and the Battle of Uhud took place the following morning.

According to one narration, Hazat Jamilah^ra relates that when Hanzalah^ra heard about the announcement for the army to embark on the expedition, he left immediately without bathing. The same night, Hazrat Jamilah^ra saw a dream in which a door in the sky opened to allow her husband in, after which it closed immediately. Another narration adds that Hazrat Jamilah^ra made four women of her tribe a witness to the fact that she had indeed consummated the marriage with Hazrat Hanzalah^ra. She did this lest anyone became suspicious of her pregnancy. People concoct stories and spread rumours and suspicion. Even today, there are people who level false allegations against others. Nonetheless, Hazrat Jamilah^ra did this to personally absolve herself from any such allegations. She explains that she made witnesses due to her dream, wherein she saw Hazrat Hanzalah^ra enter a door in the skies from which she understood that her husband’s time had come, and she explains that she indeed became pregnant as a result of that night. As a result of this pregnancy, Abdullah bin Hanzalah was born. After killing Hazrat Hanzalah^ra, the Quraish did not mutilate his body – meaning they did not cut off his ears and nose and remove his eyes, owing to the fact that his father Abu Amir Rahib had come with the Quraish. (Taken from Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, pp. 327-328)

There is mention of the martyrdom of Hazrat Sa‘d bin Rabi^ra. Hazrat Sa‘d^ra bin Rabi‘ participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud and was martyred during the Battle of Uhud. On the day of Uhud, the Holy Prophet^sa stated, “Who will bring me news of Sa‘d bin Rabi`^ra?” “I will”, someone replied. And so, this individual went forth and began searching for him among those who had been slain.

Upon seeing this individual, Hazrat Sa‘d^ra asked him how he was and he replied, “I have been sent by the Messenger^sa of Allah so I can inform him of your condition.” Hazrat Sa‘d^ra stated, “Convey my salaam [i.e., greeting of peace] to the Holy Prophet^sa and inform the Holy Prophet^sa that I have received 12 spear wounds and I have condemned all those who fought me to hellfire, (in other words, whoever came up against him was killed.) And tell my people that if the Holy Prophet^sa is martyred while a single one of them is still alive, then remember that they shall have no excuse to offer before God Almighty.”

It is stated that it was Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka‘b^ra who went to enquire about the condition of Hazrat Sa‘d^ra. Hazrat Sa‘d^ra told Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka‘b^ra, “Let my people know that Sa‘d bin Rabi‘ says that they ought to fear Allah the Almighty.” And in another narration, he has been recorded as saying, “And remember the pledge they took at the hands of the Messengersa of Allah on the Night of ‘Aqabah. By God, they shall have no excuse before God if the eyes of even one of them still flickers (i.e., if any one of them was still alive) and the enemy was to reach the Holy Prophet^sa.” In other words, they should sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Messenger^sa of Allah and his religion. This was the passion of the Companions that even when they were breathing their last, they would only be worried for the safety of the Holy Prophet^sa.

Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka‘b^ra narrates that he was still by the side of Hazrat Sa‘d^ra when he passed away. His body was covered in wounds and when he returned and presented himself before the Holy Prophet^sa, he informed him of the conversation he had and the condition he was in when he was martyred. Upon this, the Holy Prophet^sa stated, “May Allah the Almighty have mercy upon him. In his lifetime and even after his demise, he continued to serve Allah and His Messenger^sa.”

Hazrat Sa‘d bin Rabi^ra and Hazrat Kharjah bin Zaid^ra were buried in one grave. (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol 3, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 396; Al-Isti’ab, Vol. 2, Dar al-Jil, Beirut, pp. 590-591; Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 2, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, p. 433)

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^ra has recorded the incident surrounding Hazrat Sa’d’s^ra martyrdom as follows:

“Now the Holy Prophet^sa had also descended into the battlefield and the work of tending to the bodies of the martyrs was underway. At the time, (i.e., when the battle finished) the sight that was before the Muslims was one to bring forth tears of blood. (Even though the Holy Prophet^sa was injured, he still went into the battlefield and work began tending to the bodies of the martyrs).”

He further says:

“70 Muslims were laying in the field of battle smothered in dust and blood, and they displayed a horrific scene of the barbaric Arab tradition known as Muthlah [Mutilation of dead bodies]. Their limbs were cut, faces distorted. Among the casualties, there were only six Muhajirīn and the rest were all from the Ansar. The number of men slain from among the Quraish was twenty-three. When the Holy Prophet^sa came to the body of his paternal uncle and foster brother, Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib^ra, he was stunned because Hind, the barbaric wife of Abu Sufyan had severely spoiled his dead body. For some time, the Holy Prophet^sa stood there silently, and signs of grief and anger were evident upon his countenance. For a fleeting moment, the Holy Prophet^sa even thought to himself that until these bloodthirsty beasts of Mecca were not given a taste of their own medicine, perhaps they would never come to their senses, but then the Holy Prophet^sa refrained from this idea and exhibited patience. As a matter of fact, after this, the Holy Prophet^sa prohibited the custom of Muthlah in Islam forever, (i.e. to disfigure a dead body and cut off limbs) and said that the enemy may do as it pleases, but the Muslims should in any case refrain from such a barbaric practice, and follow a course of virtue and benevolence.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets^sa, Vol. 2, pp. 344-345)

Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^ra further writes:

“The Quraish had more or less meted out the same barbaric treatment to the bodies of other Companions as well. Hence, the body of ‘Abdullah bin Jahash^ra, the paternal cousin of the Holy Prophet^sa had also been severely disfigured. As the Holy Prophet^sa would move from one body to the other, signs of pain and anguish would become more and more evident upon his countenance.” (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets^sa, Vol. 2, p. 345)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra has made reference to these martyrs and  their sacrifices. While speaking about the love and devotion Hazrat Sa’d^ra bin Rabi’ – leader of the Ansar – had for the Holy Prophet^sa, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra states:

“There is an incident that took place on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud. After the battle, the Holy Prophet^sa sent Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka‘b^ra to go and enquire about the state of those who had been wounded. Whilst searching for the wounded, Hazrat Ubayy^ra bin Ka‘b reached Hazrat Sa‘d^ra bin Rabi‘, who had been severely injured and was breathing his last. Hazrat Ubayy^ra bin Ka‘b asked him if he had any message he would like him to convey to his relatives and dear ones. Hazrat Sa‘d^ra smiled and said, ‘I was waiting for a Muslim to come, to whom I could deliver my message. Place your hand in mine and promise me that you will certainly convey my message. (Even in such a condition, he was aware enough to say for him to place his hand on his hand. This is a sign of giving a solemn pledge) Promise me that you will certainly convey my message.’ The message he then gave was as follows, ‘Convey my greetings of peace to my Muslim brothers and tell my people and my relatives that the Messenger^sa of Allah is the greatest trust bestowed upon us by God Almighty and we ought to protect this trust with our very lives. I must now depart from this world and hand over this trust to you. Let it not be that you show weakness in this regard.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra states:

“Ponder, at such a time when one feels as if they are about to die, one entertains all kinds of thoughts in their heart. He thinks about the circumstances his wife would have to face or who would tend to the needs of his children, etc. However, this Companion did not convey any such message of this kind and simply said that he was departing this world whilst he was striving to protect the Holy Prophet^sa and they ought to do the same and follow after him. It was this very strength of faith that enabled them [i.e., the Muslims] to bring about a revolution in the world and topple the rule of the Romans and Persians. The Roman emperor was astonished as to who these people were. Likewise, Chosroes wrote to one of his generals and told him that if he could not even defeat the Arabs, then he should return and instead, sit at home wearing bangles. (I.e., for them to stay behind with the women, and that there was no need for them to go and fight.) The king also stated to his general that the Arabs were such people that would eat ordure and yet he could not even stop them. (I.e., they would eat filth and unwholesome foods.) In reply, the general stated that they did not appear as mere mortals, but rather were like beasts that would come galloping over the swords and spears.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 7, p. 338)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra has shed light on this incident from another angle, stating:

“When the Battle of Uhud came to an end, the Holy Prophet^sa dispatched a Companion to tend to those who were wounded. This Companion saw a man from the Ansar who was in a critical condition. He went to him and said: ‘My dear brother, if you have a message, tell me and I will pass it on to your friends and relatives.’ He replied: ‘I was waiting for this exact moment, wondering if I would meet a person from Medina, so I could convey a message to my friends and family. It is good that you came to me. Give me your hand and promise me that you will convey this message to my family members.’ He held his hand and vowed that he would convey his message. The injured Companion said: ‘Go and tell my friends, relatives and all my tribesmen that the Holy Prophet^sa is our nation’s most precious treasure. He has been entrusted to us as a nation. I have full conviction that, deep down, you also know the value of this asset. Therefore, I deem it my duty to relay this message to you that until the time we draw our last breath, we must not breach this trust bestowed on us. Expend all your energy to safeguard it. I will now depart, but I leave this trust to you. I hope that all my sons, brothers, and their progenies will safeguard this holy trust more than their own lives and will not allow any form of negligence in discharging this duty.” (Tafsir-e-Kabir [2004], Vol. 10, p. 185)

In another place, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra has mentioned this in the following manner:

“An Ansari chieftain was lying wounded and his condition was such that he was going to pass away in a matter of minutes. Another Companion saw him and went and sat beside him. He enquired about his condition and asked if he wanted to convey any message to his wife, children or any of his loved ones. Upon this, he stated, ‘Yes, I was in fact waiting for a Muslim to come to me so that I could convey a message through him.’”

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra states:

“Everyone knows that the time of one’s death, even if one is in their own home, is an extremely difficult time. The lasting wish of one who is about to die is that he may be granted even just a few minutes more, so he may be able to speak to his wife, children and siblings, or to impart any final advice. However, this companion was not with his wife or children nor was he at home or in a hospital on a soft bed. In fact, he was lying on a rocky ground and yet he did not ask him to covey his salaam to his wife and to advise her to provide his children with a good upbringing nor did he say for his property to be divided in such and such way or that he had some wealth kept in such and such place and for it to be retrieved from there (since he was a chieftain). In fact, he said, ‘Convey this message to my children and fellow brothers that “Muhammad^sa, the Messenger of Allah is a precious trust given to you by God Almighty. Until my last breath, I sacrificed my life to safeguard this trust and now in my final words of advice to my beloved brothers and children is that they also ought to protect this trust with their very lives.”’ Thereafter, he breathed his last.” (Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 23, Friday Sermon, 30 January 1942, pp. 45-46)

These are examples of the expressions of love for the Holy Prophet^sa that leave one truly astounded. May Allah the Almighty develop this spirit of love for the Holy Prophet^sa within us as well. Once we develop this spirit, we will strengthen our bond with Allah the Almighty. Furthermore, we will also truly strive to remove our weaknesses so that we can demonstrate the true Islamic teachings in our worship, morals and habits. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.

I shall lead a few funeral prayers and will also mention some details about them.

The first mention is of the respected Dr Mansoor Shabooti of Yemen. Mansoor Shabooti was imprisoned in Yemen due to being an Ahmadi. He passed away while in prison on 26 January [2024] at the age of 63.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

Since he passed away whilst in prison and his imprisonment was due to him being an Ahmadi – moreover proper medical treatment was also not available to him and he was perhaps ill-treated as well – in any case, irrespective of the exact extent of the details received, he passed away whilst in prison and therefore he is a martyr and, as such, the first Ahmadi martyr of Yemen.

The deceased is survived by his elderly mother, wife and two sons, Aiman and Bilal. The deceased’s brother, Nasir Shabooti, resides here in London. His brother says that his body was handed over to his son on 1 February. However, since almost all the Ahmadi men have been imprisoned, the non-Ahmadis offered his funeral prayer and buried him.

Nasir Shabooti says that their grandfather, Abdullah Muhammad Uthman Shabooti, was the first Ahmadi in Yemen and Dr Mansoor Shabooti’s father, Mahmood Abdullah Shabooti, was Yemen’s first missionary who had attained a Shahid degree. The deceased’s mother is Shahrukh Nasreen Sahiba, who is the daughter of Syed Bashir Ahmad Shah of Rabwah and Farrukh Khanum. Farrukh Khanum is from the Junood family and she, along with her mother, Haleema Banu and her brother, Syed Hajji Junoodullah, had the opportunity to fulfil the instruction of the Holy Prophet^sa that when the Imam Mahdi appears, then even if one has to crawl over snow [ice-capped mountains], they should do so in order to pledge allegiance to him [bai‘at]. And so, they travelled by foot from Kashgar over ice-capped mountains, reached Qadian and performed the bai‘at. Mansoor Shabooti Sahib’s mother was a member of this family and his maternal grandmother was with them when they walked over snow.

His son, Bilal Shabooti, has written regarding the incident of his martyrdom “The security forces broke into our house. They pushed our father and pointed a gun at his chest and then they were about to take me and my father. My father told them that they could kill him if they wanted, but to let his son go.” When the non-Ahmadis offered his funeral prayer, his son, who is 16 years of age, was present and took part [in the funeral] and there was no other Ahmadi male present. In any case, he further states, “They stole money from my father and accused him of receiving money from abroad. However, my father denied receiving money from outside of the country and told them that this was his own money, which he had earned.”

This is a misconception that the so-called scholars have spread against the Ahmadis that God-forbid we receive money from the Western powers and that we have an agenda against Islam. In fact, every Ahmadi is spreading the message of Islam across the world by personally offering financial sacrifices and also serving humanity. In any case, he has mentioned quite a detailed account.

I shall now read what his wife has written to me. She says, “Those who imprisoned him showed me the location of where they had imprisoned my husband. They informed me that my husband would often weep in his obligatory and voluntary prayers [nawafil].”

She further stated that Dr Sahib was imprisoned because some Ahmadis had informed that Dr Sahib would receive money from Britain, which he was using to prepare a militia force in Yemen. This is a completely baseless allegation. However, upon enquiry, they found this to be completely untrue. They were going to release him but his health deteriorated due to the stress of the situation he was in.

This was the statement of those who had spoken to his wife. It is possible that the officer in the high command had a different attitude than the subordinate officers, who tend to make their own decisions, and so as a result of their harsh treatment it impacted his health. In any case, his brother, Nasir Shabooti Sahib, writes regarding the deceased “Our brother, Dr Mansoor Shabooti, was extremely kind and caring. He was very intelligent in his studies, was among the top ten students of the country and was given an award by the government. He was very regular in offering prayers and Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayers]. He would regularly recite the Holy Quran after Fajr [prayer offered right before dawn] and was also regular in his financial contributions. Before his own relatives, he would always help and treat others first. He would always speak to the patients in a cheerful manner and would never take any fee from those patients who were not well-off. He would also provide them with medication and if they needed to be admitted to the hospital, then he would assist them in this as well. When operating on anyone who was poor, he would deduct his operation fee from his own earnings.” He further says, “If anyone from among our neighbourhood fell ill, they would come to our brother for treatment. When he moved to another area, Sana, the neighbours became very sad. He would always treat his parents with great kindness and also helped them perform Hajj.”

Doctor Sahib’s mother, Shahrukh Nasrin, says, “When I was expecting, I saw in a dream that a pious woman from Rabwah named Zainab held my mother in her lap and said that the Promised Messiah^as was coming. I looked around for the Promised Messiah^as but I did not see him, and after this, I woke up. Doctor Sahib had a passion for tabligh [propagation] right from his childhood. In school, he would preach the message of Ahmadiyyat to his religious studies teachers, and the teachers would listen to what he had to say without any opposition.”

One of his sons, Aiman Shabooti, lives in Germany; he says, “My late father never scolded me nor hit me. I recall him only ever hitting me once when I was 13 years old and I had refused to offer prayers in congregation, upon which he hit me lightly. But aside from that time, he never did.” He says, “During times of difficulty, my father would always enjoin me to pray, and he acted upon this himself as well. I have seen him weeping in prayer.” He says, “When I was in school and we were just children, he would wake us up for Fajr and we would offer the prayer in congregation and then we would recite the Holy Quran.”

He obtained his PhD in surgery, for which he went to Jordan, where he lived for five years. He says, “I went to visit him there and the mosque or centre, where the Friday prayer was offered was an hour away, and he would drive there every Friday. He had a passion for studying and would read many of the Jamaat’s books.” He says, “When he returned from Jordan, his bag was quite heavy and I thought that he had brought back a lot of gifts (just as children hope that their parents have brought something for them). However, there weren’t any gifts in the bag; rather, it contained the Arabic translation of Tafsir-e-Kabir along with some other books of the Jamaat.

He would go to meet his relatives, even if they were non-Ahmadi.” He says, “He would also take me and my mother along with him. When I would ask him why it was necessary to meet non-Ahmadi relatives, he would say, ‘The Holy Prophet^sa has commanded to maintain good relations with family. If we do not maintain a connection with close relatives, then it will displease Allah the Almighty.’”

Marwah Shabooti says, “He was well respected, of sound morals, pious, always smiling, loving, cooperative, kind, generous, merciful, noble, and very intelligent. He always excelled in his studies and was a renowned doctor throughout Yemen. He was at the forefront of service to mankind and service to Ahmadiyyat. He was beloved among Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis alike and everyone has been greatly impacted by his loss, including non-Ahmadis.”

Non-Ahmadis have also expressed their sentiments. The Doctor’s Union in Yemen made the following statement, “We announce this with sorrow and regret that General Surgery Consultant Doctor Mansoor Shabooti has passed away. He passed away on the following date.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

This statement from the medical council further reads, “His mysterious demise has caused a great deal of worry and unease to spread within medical circles. According to details that have been obtained thus far, Doctor Mansoor was in very good health before his arrest. The reason for his arrest was unknown and for two weeks there was no information about where he had been taken. Just a day or two before his demise he resurfaced in very poor condition.”Some of his non-Ahmadi friends have also written about him on social media. Doctor Khalid Adeeb, who is a non-Ahmadi says, “The first time I went to work in the emergency ward of the hospital in Sana, I saw many doctors standing around a young doctor. Upon my enquiry, someone told me that it was Doctor Mansoor Shabooti, a General Surgery Consultant, and he is the hardest working doctor and the easiest to work with. All the doctors and students prefer being on duty with him because he always tries to impart as much knowledge as he can to everyone. He is not greedy for money, for rank or for fame.’ The deceased had a very calm disposition, was very poised and took good care of his health. He was always smiling and was very kind. He was far removed from any sort of arrogance or love for the world.”Another person wrote, “His demise is a great loss for Yemen. Yemen has lost a righteous person who was pure hearted and who spent his life serving the ill.”Another person writes, “Doctor Mansoor had a healing hand and possessed lofty morals.” All of the newspapers in southern Yemen have published the news of his demise under various titles, for example, “The Killing of a Renowned Doctor”, “The Demise of the Most Renowned Doctor”, “Capture of the Most Well-Known Doctor”. Someone also wrote to me that because of him, the name of Ahmadiyyat has spread quite a bit in Yemen and if Allah wills this could become a source of tabligh. May Allah the Almighty treat the deceased with forgiveness and mercy, elevate his station and grant patience and strength to his family. May the conditions improve. Those who are currently imprisoned there of the small Community that does exist, may Allah the Almighty swiftly procure the means for their release.The second mention is of respected Salahuddin Muhammad Saleh Abdul Qadir Odeh who was the father of Sharif Odeh, National President of the Jamaat in Kababir. He had a heart complication on 31 January, and he passed away during the operation in the hospital at the age of 85.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ

[Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]

The deceased was a musi. He is survived by his wife, three sons, Muhammad Sharif Odeh, Munir Odeh and Amir Odeh, as well as a daughter, Manal Odeh. He has grandsons and granddaughters; two of his grandsons, Masroor Munir Odeh and Bashiruddin Mahmud Odeh are studying in Jamia UK and Jamia Canada [respectively].

Sharif Odeh writes, “The deceased’s paternal grandfather, Al-Haj Saleh Abdul Qadir Odeh was among the pioneer Ahmadis in Palestine who accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1928. After him, the deceased’s paternal great-grandfather, Abdul Qadir Odeh, also pledged allegiance and some time later the deceased’s father, Muhammad Odeh, also pledged allegiance. Thus, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, the deceased’s father, paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather were all Ahmadis. He was born in 1938 and he was born an Ahmadi. When he was 14 years old, it was very cold one day and the deceased went outside for some task. Due to the cold weather and not wearing the appropriate attire, his body froze and he fell unconscious. After a long search he was found and taken to the hospital. His condition was very dire, and the doctors said that firstly it would be a miracle if he survived, and even if he did survive, he would never be able to have children. Chaudhary Muhammad Sharif, who was the missionary there at the time, wrote a letter to Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^ra. Thereafter, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, not only was he cured but he later married, and Allah the Almighty bestowed him with children; three boys and one girl. Like his father, the deceased spent his entire life at the forefront of serving the missionaries. Similarly, he would wholeheartedly serve the guests of the Promised Messiah^as, which was attested to by every person who came to express their condolences.”

Sharif Odeh says, “The guests had become accustomed to his hospitality. Guests would desire to stay with him and experience his hospitality.” Once, a priest was due to come for a meeting [with the National President of Kababir]. He asked whether his father was there. He told him that his father had gone out, to which the priest replied, ‘I will come back when he returns so that I may enjoy his hospitality.’ The deceased also took care of the poor and the needy and would spend on them. New converts whose families had cut ties with them settled in Kababir and the deceased treated them all like a kind father. Upon his demise, one woman said, ‘My husband spent most of his time with him, and now he says that he does not know who to go to.’” Sharif Sahib says, “My father raised us by setting his own practical example; rather than explaining things to us, he would show us how to do things through his actions. My father loved studying and he would always be studying some literature of the Community, due to which his knowledge was also very vast.”

Then, Sharif Sahib says, “It was not that he needed our help in his old age; he did not require any help from us. In fact, he would help us and the fact that his children were serving the Jamaat made him happy.”

His granddaughter, Dr Yasmin, says, “I lived for a few years with my grandparents in their home. I observed that my deceased grandfather was regular in offering prayers and Tahajjud [pre-dawn voluntary prayer]. He would spend most of his time in the mosque and in the Community’s [local] headquarters. He regularly cooked and cared for guests, and was also occupied with renovating the Community’s [local] headquarters among other tasks. He loved to read the books of the Community to the extent that on the day of his demise, we found an open book on his bed.” She further says, “There were some repairs needed in their home. My deceased grandfather told my grandmother that these repairs were not necessary because they would soon pass away, and it is better to donate the funds needed for the repairs to the needy instead. During his heart surgery, the doctors not only observed that his heart was very weak, but also that his arteries were almost completely blocked; they were astonished as to how we was walking about until that time.” Nonetheless, it was his prayer to be able-bodied up until his demise, and thus, until his final moment, he was never dependent on anyone.

Sharif Odeh says, “My father spent his money on others with an open heart. One day, an elderly relative asked for some help, and my father handed him everything that he had in his pocket at that very moment. When the late Maulana Fazl Ilahi Bashir was the missionary in Kababir, he asked the deceased to contribute funds towards the Kababir mosque. At that time, he [the deceased] acquired a large sum of money from somewhere; he gave the whole amount towards the mosque.”

A youth also wrote, saying, “When he underwent a surgery for his hernia, I asked about his well-being, and he replied that he was in a lot of pain. I then asked him why he was doing work whilst he was in such a condition. He said that there were some minor tasks of moving things around and repairing a broken door. I said that because he had undergone surgery, he should not engage in any heavy labour. He replied that he could not live without doing so because he considers serving the Jamaat his responsibility.”

Saifuddin Abu Asad from Palestine writes, “I only observed goodness and virtue in respected Salahuddin Odeh. During my stay in Kababir, I found him to be a truly sincere member of the Community. He was very loving and would come to everyone’s aid. Despite being the father of the National President of the Community, he would engage in serving and hosting guests. Owing to his hospitality, I only realised afterwards that he was the National President’s father. He was exceedingly humble. Someone informed me afterwards about who he was.”

Dr Aiman Al-Maliki says, “Immediately after leading the Fajr prayers, he would go straight to the Langar Khana and work tirelessly until the evening, when he would return home. This was his routine for all seven days of the week. He loved Khilafat dearly and greatly respected the Jamaat to the extent that, although his own son was the National President, he would stand up in respect for him. He was passionately occupied in serving the Jamaat, preaching and fulfilling his responsibilities until the end of his life. Examples of such passion are uncommon. He witnessed the eras of four Caliphs, and he would have very interesting discussions on the topic of Khilafat.

Muhammad Alaona writes, “I pledged allegiance 20 years ago, after which I went to Kababir. He greeted me with great love and sincerity. I always observed him to be serving the Community. Despite his old age, he exemplified sincerity in his work the likes that cannot be seen even in the youth. He was very benevolent and kind.”

Namal Ajwah writes, “I belong to the city of Al-Khail. When I came here [Kababir] with my two children, I did not have a home to live in. The deceased told me to leave my daughters in his care while I could stay at Dar az-Ziyafat. For one and a half months, they cared for my daughters, gave them food to eat and fulfilled their other needs. He was like a kind father to me. With his demise, I feel like my soul has left my body.”

Shamsuddin Sahib, the missionary of Kababir, writes, “He disliked to throw away anything old from the mosque or mission house. Instead, he repaired those things as though they were brand new and made them usable once more. (This is a method of saving money that should be adopted in other places as well). Sometimes, I observed that when people would come to the mosque seeking help, he would honour them as guests, seat them down and also feed them.

Rana Odeh Jahangeer, his granddaughter, writes, “I always observed my grandfather waking up early in the morning for Tahajjud, and offering his prayers regularly. My grandfather cared deeply for the poor. People would tell him to spend money on himself as well, but he would always reply by saying, ‘I prefer to give this money to those who need it.’ He had firm conviction in God, and boundless love for Khilafat.

May Allah the Almighty show mercy to the deceased, grant him forgiveness and elevate his station. May He also grant his children and progeny patience and fortitude, and enable them to carry on his virtuous deeds.

Next, I will speak about Rehana Farhat, wife of Karamatullah Khadim, a missionary serving in Rabwah. She passed away on 29 January.

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّاۤ اِلَيۡہِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ

Her family entered the fold of Ahmadiyyat through her great-grandfather, Hazrat Munshi Jalaluddin^ra of Bulani, located in the district of Gujrat. His name was the first amongst the list of 313 Companions included in the Appendix of Anjam-e-Atham by the Promised Messiah^as. She is survived by her husband, one son and three daughters. Her son, Ehsanullah Sahib, is currently serving as a missionary in Spain. He was unable to attend the funeral prayers and burial of his mother due to his work in the field among other reasons. Her husband, Karamatullah Khadim, is a life-devotee and missionary. Her son-in-law, Asif Mahmood Butt, is also a missionary serving in Tanzania. Her son, Ehsanullah Sahib, who is a missionary, writes, “She was a constant canopy of prayers for us. She would offer exceedingly emotional Tahajjud prayers. Whilst working and walking about, she would hum prayerful couplets of the Promised Messiah^as and the Khulafa. In this way, the children around her would also learn those couplets. She was regular in almsgiving and offering services to the Jamaat. Until her health permitted, she regularly attended and participated in events of the Jamaat. She was very grateful, content and a patient person. She took pride in being an Ahmadi woman.” Her daughter, Numanah Nusrat, writes, “She had a distinct quality of being very grateful. If someone ever praised her by saying that she dedicated the one son she had, she would reply with humility and gratefulness saying, ‘How can I thank Allah the Almighty that after giving him one son, he gave me many in return,’ referring to her grandchildren. She would say that all Ahmadis are life-devotees.”

She was born in Rabwah and it pleased her greatly to see the new developments. She was known as a strong woman with good etiquette. Alongside being contented and simple, she lived a life of etiquette. She expressed her gratefulness by saying that she was afforded all the comforts of life. She never complained that the allowance of a missionary was insufficient. She would say, “I could not receive the blessings I have now anywhere else.” Due to lawsuits filed against the Community, her son had to migrate in 2017. As I mentioned, there were other reasons he could not attend [the funeral]. It was not possible for him to go to Pakistan, and due to the weakness caused by her illness, she could not go visit him. Nevertheless, she would always advise her son to discharge his duties as a life-devotee with patience and dedication. Her daughter-in-law says, “She offered the Tahajjud prayer with great pain and fervour. She would also see true dreams. She saw clear dreams that would come true. We would all be astonished upon witnessing this.”

It is further stated that her son had to migrate due to some lawsuits, and due to her illness, she was unable to visit him. Despite this, she never expressed any sadness. She always advised her son to fulfil his life devotion with steadfastness. She would remark that it was very easy to stay in touch these days and never allowed her maternal love and instincts to become a hurdle in a life-devotee’s work. Someone told her that it had been a long time, and if she wrote to the Khalifa of the time to be allowed to visit her son, some arrangements would be made for her. She replied that she had dedicated her son and would not make such requests.

May Allah the Almighty shower His mercy upon her, grant her forgiveness and elevate her station. May He also grant her family patience and fortitude. [Amin.]

(Official Urdu transcript published in the Al Fazl International, 1 March 2024, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)